Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-08-12
New Constitution.

Mr.. Editor In the Sentinel OF last week,
allusion was made, noticed, to meeting
Of one of the county Oranges at Brownings-
vile, on the 28th ulto., in which 1t Is stated
that the members Of said Grange were OPP
posed to the call of a convention to alter or
amend the present Constitution Of the State
being satisfied that the Legislature could
do all that was necessary in the matter
Now, Sir, have always been led to believe
that one of the principal objects Of the whole
Grange fraternity in the State, was TO get nd
ofthe unnecessary expenditures Of the peoples
money, and have ne doubt that such was
the feeling which induced the meeting at
Browningsville 10 express themselves as
opposed 10 Constitutional Convention
considering, as they did, that 1t wsuld be an
unnecessary expenditure of the peoples
money. Well now, let us lock at the mat
ter little: The cost of holding such con-
vention would, under ordinary circum-
stances, probably amount TO, say, $4,000.
But il the convention, in proceeding TO bust
ness, would, simply, restore the old Consti-
tuition OF 1851 with its several provisions
in regard to slavery, of course, eliminated
1t would not only be in accordance with the
wishes Of the people, but the whole thing
could be done in less than week when
the convention, with no more ado, and no
tasoyers there 10 kill time, could adjourn and
put out for home. In this way the conven-
ton would not cost half as much as above
conjectured-in fact mere nothing in com
parison TO what the people would have 70
pay If no such convention is held. AS pro0i
OF this, let US suppose that no such cenven-
ton is held; then, in that case, Of course,
the present constitution with all its useless
Notwithstanding that Of the three
Judge system for which ii provides-would
| remain in existence fifteen years longer.
Now the annual cost of the three Judge sys-
tenn is $67 200 for Judgeships alone, while
the one Judge system under the constitu-
ton of 1851 was but $35 900, making dif-
ference OF $32 200 in favor of the one Judge
system. But it must be recollectcd that this
is only for single year, whereas il the pres
ent constitution Of the State remains in ex-
istence fifteen years longer, it will make the
difference in the cost, between and what
II would have been under the constitution
of 1851, just $483, 900 in the mere matter oil
the Judgeship alsne. The idea, then, OF the
Grange at Browningsville opposing the call
Of a convention on the ground of its being
an uselessexpenditure OF the peoples money,
could only have been conceived in utter ig-
norancc of the facts, for instead OF its being
| oh uoSiSoo "a PShbitutNt ~ WOoiN ~ -u -
tual saving to the people of near half 2 mil
lion dollars in the single item OF the judi
ciary alone. Nor is that all, the present
constitution of the State admits OF many
other items Of useless expenditure of the
peoples money, but of which it is not my
purpose here 10 speak-the unnecessary ex'
pense of the present judicial system alone
being enough, of itself, to show the pressing
| necessity of Constitutional Convention.
ssa-ass.sa OLD FOGY.
p. S.-Of course, it is hardly TO be pre-
sumed that the individual members OF the
Grange at Browningsville were actuated by
any other than the purest motives, albeit
II must be confessed that, as a bsdy, it was
going rather far out Of its province To take
sides in any political question, much less IN
this, which is certainly one of the most I'm
pOrtant u which the attention of the people
Of Maryland can now be called.
OF.